Benefits Of A Healthy Lifestyle: Healthy Habits For The Heart Affect The Brain Too, Study Finds

Good news for everyone who eats a healthy diet and exercises on a regular basis. A healthy lifestyle that consists of eating right, exercising regularly and getting adequate sleep has been known to maintain a healthy heart. But according to a new study, maintaining a healthy heart means maintaining a healthy brain as well.

The research team found out that people who practice healthy habits for the heart have better memory, thinking and brain functioning speed, Reuters reports. "Our findings reinforce current recommendations for cardiovascular disease prevention but suggest that they may also promote cognitive health," neurology researcher and lead study author Hannah Gardener stated via Reuters.

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The research involved the study of more than 1,000 people in Northern Manhattan with an average age of 72-years-old. The research team advised the participants to practice healthy habits for the heart which include eating plenty of fruits and vegetables; avoiding smoking; having an ideal body weight; exercising regularly; and keeping their blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol on a normal level for six years.

The participants took brain function exams at the beginning of the research and took another set of brain function exams after six years. The participants who were able to practice the healthy lifestyle habits in a most effective manner for six years scored better on the second set of brain function exams.

"They are important findings for reminding us all the reasons why it is important to make good lifestyle choices,"  Dr. Jeffrey Burns told Reuters by email. "And that these choices have both physical and cognitive benefits."

Aside from practicing healthy habits for the heart, there are other ways to have a sharper mind. A person who reads a lot, socializes with other people and gets an adequate amount of sleep every night is more likely to have a sharp and healthy brain, according to Reader's Digest.